Chapter Thirty-Five

THE RIDE BACK TO MORARDIA was silent, save for the hooves of our steeds slapping the earth. Rune had been somewhere far away in his own head after speaking with his mom, and even though he hadn't said what the two spoke about, I could guess that it wasn't anything good. I, myself, had chosen not to speak after departing Elias's tent. Instead, I'd told my entourage that we'd speak once back at the palace. I was sure the wait was driving them all mad, but it was all I could manage considering I still didn't fully comprehend what happened.

I knew what Elias said. I knew what he'd offered, and I knew what exchanges we'd made. Yet it felt like I was watching it through someone else's eyes from across the room. I felt detached from the encounter, as though I hadn't truly experienced it.

Surely, that was the case.

Surely, it was all some horrifying daydream, and when I focused, I'd find that I was actually just now heading to meet Elias.

I bit the inside of my cheek and blinked a couple times to clear my head.

But it was no use, because there was no fog of a dream clouding my mind.

Elias's words had been real.

War was coming.

A numbness tried to burrow into my bones, and I moved on autopilot into the palace, through the halls, and into a meeting room. The elected citizen was summoned, and within a few moments, I found myself facing down the Council of Doctrina. Guilt quickly replaced the numbness as I searched their waiting faces.

These people, all of the Fae who'd come to Morardia, had trusted me.

And I'd failed them.

Taking a deep breath, I announced, "Elias has refused to work with me. With us."

Dawn's eyes widened with a rush of fear.

Dallas's eyes slipped closed, and her mouth flattened into a grim line.

I continued, my voice coming out as a rough whisper. "He demands war."

Angus beat his fist onto the table and leaned forward in his seat. "I told you this would happen, Your Majesty. There was no way he'd ever agree to settle things peacefully. It isn't the Land Fae way. We must ready our troops and strike before Elias does."

"Calm yourself, General Angus," I hissed sharply. "He isn't coming here with an invasion. He has asked to meet in three months at the Valley of Wisps for our final battle."

"Why would he allow us time like that?" Dawn asked, her voice taking on a high-pitched plea. Her eyes darted between everyone seated at the table.

"Because he's a damn liar, and our Queen is naive enough to believe him," Angus barked.

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Rune beat me to it. "If you wish to keep your tongue," Rune hissed, his venomous eyes trained on Angus. "I suggest you refrain from disrespecting my wife."

Angus's cheeks flared red, and he seemed to bristle at Rune's reprimand.

Thankfully, Jesiah cut in. "What exactly did he say, Bria?"

I recounted the details of my conversation with the Land Fae King, explaining the two possible endings he'd posed. The Council hung on my every word while I spoke, and when I finished, the reactions were instant. Dawn wept, Dallas became outraged at the idea of my facing Elias in battle, Angus demanded we ambush the Land Fae, Jesiah made attempts to settle Angus, and Rune … He stared across the table at me, his jaw tense and eyes wide.

Rance leaned his elbows on the table, and he sought out my gaze. "We don't have the numbers that the Land Fae do. Our troops would never stand a chance against the Land Fae army. It's part of the reason we had to go into hiding."

"Exactly," Angus roared, pulling the attention back to him. His fuming gray eyes locked with mine. "We cannot win in a battle that they are also prepping for. If we want to survive, we must strike first, before they are ready."

"We are not going to attack, Angus," I yelled. "We are not going to encourage war with Land Fae. I am going to do everything in my power to avoid battle at all costs. I will hear no more suggestions about ambushing or the like. There has to be another way to fix things without going to war."

Angus slammed his hands on the table and shoved back his chair, sending it crashing to the floor. He wiped a hand over his face and paced the room. "It cannot be avoided! It is as he said. War is coming, whether it be tomorrow or three months from now. You have no power to stop it. Your loyalty is to Water Fae; no one else. If you have any ounce of respect for your role as Queen, you will lead your own army to defeat Land Fae before Elias has a chance to do so to us."

"I believe your Queen has already made her feelings on that subject matter clear," Jesiah snapped. "We will discuss other methods for dealing with Elias and his army. Should you cross the line in your regard of Bria again, we will also take a vote to remove you from this Council and your station. Do you understand, General Angus Blackwood?"

Angus's lip curled in contempt as he stared at Jesiah. His dark eyes surveyed everyone in the room, and after minutes of tense silence, he went to the wall and leaned against it with crossed arms. "What does the Queen suggest?"

What did I suggest? The question weighed heavily on my chest, because I didn't know. Elias had made it clear that battle was the only way out of this, but damn it, there had to be another way. More death wouldn't serve this world. It would merely stain it red from all the souls sacrificed in the name of revenge. But what could I do? What could I suggest?

"I have an idea," Rune stated.

My weary eyes found his, and every head turned in his direction.

Rune rested his forearms on the table and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's a long shot, but it may be the only option left. It wouldn't be the first time she aided your family. Maybe she'll intervene again."

Jesiah immediately inhaled sharply, and he leaned forward to stare at Rune with wide eyes. "You mean Queen Muna?"

Angus chuckled humorlessly and shook his head. "You can't be serious. Queen Muna would never help with a matter like this."

Queen Muna was a name I'd only heard a handful of times, yet I knew exactly who they were referencing. Queen Muna, the Queen of the entire Fae realm. We all answered to her, even King Elias and me. She'd been the one to lock my powers away before my mom and dad hid me, which meant maybe she could do something to help now, too. Maybe I could convince her to put a stop to the war, an order not even Elias could refuse.

Hope swelled within my chest, and I said in a rush, "We won't know unless we try. I, for one, am willing to do anything if it means saving everyone. Let's give it a shot. Let's call upon the Queen of us all."